Santa Ana leaders take steps to clear air at City Hall

April 9, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

1 of 8

Kevin O'Rourke, interim Santa Ana City Manager, lays out goals for a City Council study session Monday. . RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

Kevin O'Rourke, Santa Ana's interim city manager, is shown here at a recent City Council meeting with City Attorney Sonia R. Carvalho. They worked through a number of issues with the City Council in a study session Monday. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

Kevin O'Rourke,Santa Ana's interim city manager, led a study session that in part focused on communications between staff and the City Council. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

The Santa Ana City Council held a study session, led by interim City Manager Kevin O'Rourke, on council practices, policies and protocols. Here's a page of notes captured at the meeting. RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

The Santa Ana City Council held a study session, led by interim City Manager Kevin O'Rourke, on council practices, policies and protocols. Here's a page of notes captured at the meeting. RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

The Santa Ana City Council held a study session, led by interim City Manager Kevin O'Rourke, on council practices, policies and protocols. Here's a page of notes captured at the meeting. RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

THE Santa Ana City Council held a study session, led by interim City Manager Kevin O'Rourke, on council practices, policies and protocols. Here's a sample of the notes taken at the session. RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

The Santa Ana City Council held a study session, led by interim City Manager Kevin O'Rourke, on council practices, policies and protocols. Here's a page of notes captured at the meeting. RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Kevin O'Rourke, interim Santa Ana City Manager, lays out goals for a City Council study session Monday. . RON GONZALES, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SANTA ANACity leaders held a wide-ranging discussion on ways they can conduct City Council meetings more efficiently, stay in the loop on key issues and discourage release of sensitive information from closed-door sessions.

The City Council, in a study session facilitated by interim City Manager Kevin O'Rourke, worked through a series of practices, suggesting a variety of changes. Some can be implemented internally, others will come back for further discussion and a possible vote, such as the idea of changing council meetings from the first and third Mondays of each month to the first and third Tuesdays.

That idea gained traction after O'Rourke suggested it as a way to provide an extra day for council members to study the agenda, which is typically released on Thursdays, and to forward questions to city staff members. City Hall is closed on Fridays.

O'Rourke, City Attorney Sonia R. Carvalho and City Clerk Maria Huizar staffed the study session, suggesting ideas and observations, while Debra Kurita, a former city official whom O'Rourke appointed his interim deputy city manager, jotted down council feedback on large pieces of paper to help officials determine what issues they'll need to return to. O'Rourke, who was appointed in February, said he wants to lay a foundation for the next city manager's work, and create an atmosphere of trust.

The session was held at the Southwest Senior Center, in hopes of providing a more informal setting than council chambers. Mayor Miguel Pulido was absent.

"It's very clear to me after being about two months with you that there's a concern about council-staff communication," O'Rourke told the council, "and also the communication process from City Hall to the community."

He suggested that the council hold a goal-setting session three to four months after a new city manager comes aboard in the fall.

"To hear a council member tell me that it's been at least five years since you guys have met in this sort of setting for this kind of conversation is pretty shocking, actually," he said.

An undercurrent to the discussion was a desire by the council members present to change the culture at City Hall. Four of those present Monday were on the council last year when it adopted the city's Sunshine Ordinance, aimed at improving City Hall transparency. Those present Monday had also taken a vote in January to dismiss Paul Walters, the former city manager who later resigned, citing the need for better communication between staff and the entire council.

Part of the discussion focused on O'Rourke's communication with council. He said it was his practice to provide access for all council members to information that any of them request.

In the past, one councilman said, the information would go to the council member who requested it.

"The only thing I would add," Councilman Vincent F. Sarmiento said, "is that the entire staff understands that this is the new practice."

At the request of Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero, the council bypassed some items to discuss the Brown Act, the state's public meeting law, which specifies what the council may discuss in closed session, and sets requirements for confidentiality. Some council members have been critical of Pulido for leaving a closed session in January dealing with the fate of previous city manager Paul M. Walters and informing the audience that the council had decided to fire him.

"We'll leave a closed session, and then we'll find what was discussed in closed session that very night on a blog," Sarmiento said. "And there is a clear trail, a clear link from that conversation in closed session to that blog. What is it that we do?"

Councilwoman Angelica Amezcua, who sits on the council ethics committee, asked what procedures are in place if there's evidence of a violation. O'Rourke said he would research best practices of other cities.

Councilman David Benavides recalled that a session similar to that held Monday was held about five years ago, and some items brought up for discussion fell by the wayside. He expressed a similar concern about the budget process.

"Being informed and knowing how we've moving forward," he said, "should be part of the norm, part of the culture."

Some of the suggestions would affect the nuts and bolts of council sessions. Councilman Roman A. Reyna suggested that community groups, such as Scouts, lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members also liked the idea of allowing each council member one opportunity to recognize residents at meetings, rather than two, with a five-minute time limit for each, putting place-holders on the agenda for regional board and committee reports and giving the mayor and mayor pro tem a role in shaping agendas. Some items will come back for further discussion, such as the process through which council members can place items on the agenda, as well as guidelines for the amount of staff time devoted to individual requests from council members for information.

O'Rourke recommended that the council hold a study session on its five-year strategic plan, called for in the Sunshine Ordinance the council adopted last year. The original schedule, a consultant report from Management Partners said, called for completing it by June. The report recommended that with the budget process under way, the strategic plan process begin in June, with completion by November. The budget process, the strategic plan and the council committee structure should interconnect, he said.

Councilwoman Michele Martinez and Tinajero expressed concern that the budget had in the past been presented to the council for its rubber stamp, without consideration of its priorities.

"I'm trying to get you to the table to begin to feel invested in the budget process,' O'Rourke said, "and it's not just something laid at you or thrown at you at the last minute."

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.